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Rating:
1979 was the year in which three absolute cornerstones of English music came to light among others: the epochal "London Calling" by The Clash, the monumental "The Wall" by Pink Floyd, and the unsettling "Unknown Pleasures" by Joy Division of the troubled Ian Curtis.
In such a moment of ferment, the Madness appeared on the British scene, with their debut album "One Step Beyond" becoming champions of the rediscovery of ska in the United Kingdom, alongside other bands like The Specials, thus bringing back to the forefront a genre that landed there during the '60s.
The album's intro immediately clarifies things and warns us that in the next 39 minutes, we will be overwhelmed by the new "heavy heavy monster sound" of the boys from Camden. A few seconds, and the frantic title track dispels any doubt: a overwhelming rhythm, with organ, bass, and sax in the limelight for a deadly burst of energy lasting just over two minutes of pure ska. But this is just the beginning: the next 14 tracks (there is also "Madness", a track not listed on the back of the CD but present inside the booklet) also travel at a thousand miles an hour, with a rather atypical sound, especially characterized by the excellent keyboard work by Mike Barson.
Among the most interesting episodes, it's worth mentioning "Tarzan's Nuts", a hypnotic instrumental preceded by a fun spoken intro, the carefree love songs "Believe Me" and "My Girl", the already mentioned and semi-hidden "Madness" and "The Prince". The lyrics are predominantly ironic, perfectly in tune with the "crazy" atmospheres created by the band, whose music lends itself like few others to dancing.
"One Step Beyond" did not fail to cause a stir upon its release and contributed to launching the ska trend in London, characterized by elegant suits, ties, and Lambrettas, as well as delivering to music history one of the most famous cover images. In conclusion, it is certainly a very enjoyable album, maybe not technically very refined, but nonetheless lighthearted and capable of entertaining for its entire duration.
A 4-star debut.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 One Step Beyond (02:18)
Hey you
Don't watch that watch this
this is the heavy heavy monster sound
the nuttiest sound around
so if you've come in the off the street
and you're beginningto feel the heat
well listen buster you better start to move your feet
to the rockinest rock steady beat of madness
ONE STEP BEYOND!!!
one step beyond repeated.
02 My Girl (02:44)
My girl's mad at me
I didn't wanna see the film tonight
I found it hard to say
She thought I'd had enough of her
Why can't she see
She's lovely to me?
But I like to stay in
And watch t.v. on my own
Every now and then
My girl's mad at me
Been on the telephone for an hour
We hardly said a word
I tried and tried but I could not be heard
Why can't I explain?
Why do I feel this pain?
'Cause everything I say
She doesn't understand
She doesn't realise
She takes it all the wrong way
My girl's mad at me
We argued just the other night
I thought we'd got it straight
We talked and talked until it was light
I thought we'd agreed
I thought we'd talked it out
Now when I try to speak
She says that I don't care
She says I'm unaware
And now she says I'm weak
03 Night Boat to Cairo (03:31)
It's just gone noon half past monsoon
On the banks of the river Nile
Here comes the boat only half-afloat
Oarsman grins a toothless smile
Only just one more to this desolate shore
Last boat along the river Nile
Doesn't seem to care, no more wind in his hair
As he reaches his last half mile
The oar snaps in his hand before he reaches dry land
But the sound doesn't deafen his smile
Just pokes at wet sand with an oar in his hand
Floats off down the river Nile
Floats off down the river Nile
All aboard, night boat to Cairo
Night boat to Cairo
04 Believe Me (02:28)
Everything that I tell you, girl, every word that you hear
Every little whisper, let me make myself clear
There ain't no lies to deceive you, I love you too much for that
Every word that I say is true, you can believe me on that
My friends tell me jealous lies
Now I'm getting my goodbyes
Life without you, my dear
Was dull, as dull as can be
I ask you, my love, why not take me now
Not to leave me in misery
Saxophone
If you take in all they say
I guess I'll be on my way
Please, my darling, it's not true
I don't know this girl called Sue
Sue's a name I have not heard
I lost my girl from that one word
Will she come back, I just don't know
And I'm takin' a heavy blow, oh
I've got myself together
I can't go on in this cold weather
Christmas comes but once a year
It's a time of love and cheer
Your friends tell you jealous lies
Now I'm getting my goodbyes
No no no no, no no no no
No no no no, no no no no
06 The Prince (03:18)
Buster he sold the heat
with a rocksteady beat
An earthquake is erupting
but not in orange street
a ghost dance is preparing
you got to help us with your feet
If you're not in the mood to dance
step back grab yourself a seat
this may not be uptown Jamaica
but we promise you a treat
CHORUS:
Buster bowl me over
with you bogus dance
shuffle me off my feet
even if i kept on running
i'd never get to orange street
So i say there's not much left to say
for the man who set the beat
so i leave it up to you out there
to get him back on his feet
CHORUS x 1
Bring back the who is the we want the
Bring back the Prince
07 Tarzan's Nuts (02:24)
Hey you seen jane?
No man, ok I'll catch the train
Can you wait a long time?
No, we gotta catch a flight
Well, that's roots man
No man it's a fruit
So give my stone, I'll save it for tonight
10 Razor Blade Alley (02:42)
Ooooo, I didn't talk too much, in fact not at all
But to ask for the price, I was to be no fool
Money's no time to waste or to shoot up the wall
You got the know how, the place did you take media school
She lead the way from the alley back to her house
Must not be seen going in, must not be seen coming out
She said I look mighty but thin she told me
I'm gonna give you a second helping
Ooooo, razor blade alley I've been there
Razor blade alley neither of us can
It was the prime time but the wrong place
It was my first time I hope my last date
I'm just too shy to check in
But this pain of this a razors is cutting in
Awwwoh
Ummmm, felt like a knight with the shining armour on at the time
She thought she was in a dream floating up on cloud nine
Now I awake she is nowhere, but the razor cuts deeper everywhere
Awwwoh
13 Mummy's Boy (02:23)
(Oy !) in the pub, about seven thirty
Mother makes sure that his face ain't dirty
Him and mother go everywhere
Holds her hand without a care
Lived with mother for fourty years
The neighbourhood said that he must be queer
Normal folk a-just don't like that
Glad he can't hear behind his back
When mother dies, he will have a cry
'cos he'll be on his own
He's frightened stiff, would he come to this?
Will he lose her to the heavenly home?
In the pub, about seven thirty
Mother makes sure that his face ain't dirty
Him and mother go everywhere
Holds her hand without a care
Lived with mother for fourty years
The neighbourhood said that he must be queer
Normal folk a-just don't like that
Glad he can't hear behind his back
When mother dies, he'll have a cry
'cos he'll be on his own
He's frightened stiff, would he come to this?
Will he lose her to the heavenly home?
Once went out with a London girl
Dirty weekend in a hotel
Broke it off when she got shirty
She was twelve and he was thirty
Right after that he was bedsore
He wouldn't go out with girls no more
From that day since, he never has
He wants to do a-something dirty
14 Madness (02:38)
Madness, madness, they call it madness
Madness, madness, they call it madness
It's plain to see
That is what they mean to me
Madness, madness, they call it gladness, ha-ha
Madness, madness, they call it madness
Madness, madness, they call it madness
I'm about to explain
a-That someone is losing their brain
Hey, madness, madness, I call it gladness, yee-ha-ha-ha
Propaganda ministers
Propaganda ministers
I've a-got a heavy due
I'm gonna walk all over you
'Cause
Madness, madness, they call it madness
Well if this is madness
Then I know I'm filled with gladness
It's gonna be rougher
It's gonna be tougher, pa-da-da, pa-da-da
And I won't be the one who's gonna suffer
Oh no, I won't be the one who's gonna suffer
You are gonna be the one, a-you
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